Jonny's not a big fan of the series that popularised survival horror. Well, he wasn't...

I've never been a Resident Evil man. I tended to find that the two or three genuinely thrilling frights and entertaining b-movie story you got from the earlier titles were not enough of a reward for sitting through hours of interminably dull backtracking, logic-defying puzzles, jerky character movement and those bloody door animations.

Yep, Resident Evil had become a bit long in the tooth it has to be said - Doom 3 was scarier, Manhunt more violent, Eternal Darkness smarter and Project: Zero more creepifying.

Resident Evil 4 however, like Capcom's other recent release, Devil May Cry 3 - is easily the best in the series so far, and marks something of a reinvention for the series. No, it's more than that - it is, quite simply one of the finest games ever made. Gone is the sluggish gameplay of earlier titles, replaced by nothing more complicated than serious hardcore action from start to finish.

This is immediately apparent upon playing through the first few minutes, as wondrous discoveries are made in this horrific new playground with childlike glee. Protagonist Leon Kennedy (he from Resident Evil 2) can hurl himself out of any second story window to the street below... it's never particularly important that he does so, as there are always perfectly serviceable stairs, but nonetheless he can. He can now also nail or even decapitate stunned assailants with a vicious roundhouse kick, while shaking off assailants who have actually got hold of him is far more violent, and satisfying than the lame-ass shrug manoeuvre he used to have.

Also immediately apparent is the splendour of the visuals on offer - having finally finished the game I'm still not convinced it hasn't fooled me into just watching an exceedingly long cutscene. Nothing on any console looks this good - no, nothing on any console even comes close.

be a good zombie

There has been a lot of talk about the lack of zombies in the game (they're mostly possessed Spanish peasants this time around) but for all intents and purposes it doesn't make a difference to the gameplay. They're still slow witted, numerous, shuffling, blank-eyed and begging to be riddled with hot lead like any good zombie.

Other assailants are frighteningly fast, or practically indestructible, or, best of all, absolutely gargantuan. Up until now, it would be fair to say that the Zelda series has been the king of the giant boss battle - now that crown belongs emphatically to Resident Evil. You've no doubt seen the stunning screenshots or the movie footage of the terrifying lake monster or that huge troll thing - while later battles against even bigger and more terrifying baddies really up the ante. I'm itching to rave about a particular battle involving some lava but don't want to spoil one of the most sublime moments of any game you've played before you see it yourself.

Another noteworthy gameplay facet is it's use of Shenmue-like Quick-Time-Event-style moments. These (where you have to hit certain indicated buttons at a second's notice to evade peril) are infused to add cinematic action into both cut scenes and gameplay and are very welcome - especially a superb nod to the only "decent" scene in Paul Anderson's appalling movie adaptation.

Many of the finest games of recent years have been blighted by 8-12 hour playing times - so it's a relief that not only does Resident Evil 4 take considerably longer to finish once, but that there is considerable replay value, not to mention bonus missions which are unlocked by finishing the game.

Oh it still has its problems. Creaky dialogue abounds (Leon's shouted insistence that "You can't even compare insect life to humans!" is particularly funny) and isn't helped by the occasional line which is blatantly translated wrong from the Japanese. And the stupidity of the bad guys (who leave memos lying around with such titles as "Our Secret Plan" and "How To Get Into That Room No-one Is Supposed To Get Into") defies belief. Leon's inability to sidestep will infuriate during the beginning stages of the game (though you will soon learn to compensate) and it's annoying that there's no quick-change for weaponry (it's a shame to break up action of such calibre for farting around in your backpack) - the inventory system itself being an unwelcome hangover from earlier titles in the series.

But these issues are irrelevant. I don't care about them and neither will you, because Resident Evil 4 is a masterpiece from start to finish. It's the new standard for visuals, for set-pieces, for bosses and for action. More than that though, it is the embodiment of brutality. No game before has conveyed the physical impact of being on the receiving end of extreme violence to the player like this does. You'll actually panic - big time - during the hairier moments. You'll physically flinch as you feel each blow, while death can come from out of the blue in so many sickening ways - afterwards you'll often be left staring slack-jawed at the screen in awe and horrified disbelief of what you've just seen.

So as I was saying, I'm a bit of a Resident Evil man, me...

GAME's Verdict

• Those graphics!!!
• The bosses - oh my...
• The new word in brutality.

• No quick weapon change.
• Inventory management plays a bigger role than it should.
• Lack of a sidestep is slightly annoying.

Review by: Jonny Austin
Version Tested: GameCube
Review Published: 24.03.05

If you go down to the woods today...

It's fair to say that our expectations for Resident Evil 4 are somewhat higher than most other games coming out this year, but not without good reason. The series has always been met with high hopes, and this is no different - although potential for something ground-breaking was only really realised about a year ago, when the game had been in development for around two years already.

Indeed, the concept of Resident Evil 4 has changed somewhat over time. When first announced and showcased, the game was penned to be the closing chapter of the long-running series - a final, ultimate assault on the Umbrella headquarters starring Resident Evil 2's Leon S. Kennedy as the lead role. The content looked good, the premise was compelling; it was pretty much what every Resident Evil fan had expected the final game to be since walking away from the Spencer Mansion eight years ago. People were understandably excited.

An entirely new game

Then, over a year later, the game - or something claiming to be the game - was shown again.

What a difference a year makes. Resident Evil 4 not only introduces a new premise; it also brings what looks and feels like an entirely new game to the table. It will be a revelation to those who formerly deemed the previous games in the genre to represent the pinnacle of survival horror. There's no more Umbrella Corporation, or even zombies. In fact, from what we've seen, there doesn't even appear to be a hint of T-virus-related antics to speak of? although we're expecting a plot twist or two to reveal everything we're speculating about, or possibly confuse us further. Those who thought the original ideas were astonishing will wet their pants over this.

As expected though, Capcom remain tight-lipped with regards to the finer details of the story, but what is known is that since Resident Evil 2, Leon has joined the Special Forces and is now working as an operative for the United States Government. It's been six long years since Racoon City was nuked and Leon, who must finally be coming to terms with life after Umbrella, is sent to a remote location in Europe on a mission to rescue the president's daughter from?well, we don't know. But we're sure to find out at some point.

In many ways, this represents a new beginning for the series and a welcome change for those growing tired of the lack of new ground being broken in each successive game. In fact, those who previously shunned the series [I'm looking at you, Mr. Austin] because of its shortfalls and irritants will find a lot to love about Resident Evil 4. For starters, the dreaded, excruciating door animations that annoyed so many have finally been vanquished. Just think: no longer will you have time to boil the kettle while you wait for Leon to enter a new room, or scale a flight of stairs. Your inventory, which could previously hold no more than eight items, is now capable of holding a lot more, reducing the need to worry about item swapping.

Severely revamped

The combat has been severely revamped and feels a lot more action-orientated. The camera hovers pleasantly behind Leon as he wanders through the village, only for it to pan to an over-the-shoulder view when he draws his gun. It instantly feels a lot more natural than the previous Resident Evil games and allows a lot more interaction from the player - enemies now have specific hit-zones, allowing you to manually target weak points to aid you in the fight. For instance, shoot someone in the leg and they'll hobble towards you. Shoot them in the head and you're pretty much guaranteed an instant kill - useful for preserving ammo for the stronger enemies later in the game.

Curiously though, Capcom have opted to stick with the exact same control scheme that has been implemented in every other game in the series over the years, albeit with the valuable addition of a quick-turn assigned to the C-stick as in Resident Evil and Zero. Granted, things are now made a lot easier by the addition of a context-sensitive mechanic which allows Leon to perform a heap of actions at a simple press of a button, which sees the series stalwart able to jump fearlessly through windows, or push over ladders to prevent those pesky villagers from reaching you on the rooftops.

Yes, those pesky relentless villagers. Far from the brain-dead masses that littered the previous games, these crazed locals are smart. No, we mean they're smart. You see, they have mastered the art of opening doors, climbing structures and working as a team. No longer will running away into a different room halt their progress - they'll just pile in after you, hacking away at your appendages with a variety of garden utensils until you lay waste to them. And despite their seemingly human appearance, they appear more terrifying than the rotten, groaning zombies we've blown apart on countless occasions before; their menacing speed and dominance inducing panic on a scale not realised when dodging the cumbersome undead.

Cavernous jaws

Other types of enemies you should expect to encounter include what can only be described as an oversized, shaven gorilla who will attempt to crush you much in the same way King Kong liked to handle naked ladies, and an underwater beast which you'll have a go at harpooning from a rickety old boat as it attempts to devour you with its cavernous jaws. Both look mightily impressive thanks to Capcom's graphics engine, which sees the series drawn in full 3D for the very first time - something you'll come to appreciate as you begin to take note of the finely-detailed environments.

Those reading who have valiantly stuck with the Resident Evil series over the last eight years may have their reservations - I certainly did when I first heard about the changes - but by the time you get their hands on Resident Evil 4, you'll have to wonder just what you were anxious about in the first place. There's not long to wait now.

Preview by: Scot Bennet